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"Be the person your dog thinks you are." ~Unknown.We welcome comments. Supportive feedback is what we enjoy most, but tips for improvement are valued too. It’s not required that you agree with us, only that you express your opinion civilly. Comments are moderated and will be posted following review. Read more.

Posts categorized "Philanthropy"

July 22, 2015

Every Monday through Friday, we visit government shelters around the Richmond Metro area, bringing dogs, cats, puppies and kittens in need back to our Robins-Starr Humane Center where we deliver to them all necessary care, including crucial medical treatment, prior to adopting them to loving, permanent homes.

As our resources allow, we travel to other localities within Virginia and also to other parts of the country in order to save as many precious lives as possible. And we are always met with gratitude from animals and humans alike. Those working in our rural partner shelters are often especially elated to see our transfer van arrive, knowing that we bring hope for animals who have limited chances for adoption in their own communities.

One such dog is Jake. He traveled to Richmond a few weeks ago from Cumberland County, but it wasn’t until after he arrived at our Robins-Starr Humane Center that we learned what a heart-wrenching journey this dog had endured. Friends of Cumberland County Animal Control shared that until very recently Jake had a guardian who loved him very much.

Jake has since been adopted into a home where he will spend the remainder of his life with people to love and care for him. Although they can’t all tell us their stories, we specialize in second chances for pets like Jake. Your monthly donation of $12, $20, $35 or $50 will allow us to travel to a Virginia shelter to return with dogs and cats whose dreams will come true at our Robins-Starr Humane Center, all thanks to your support. Will you help today by becoming a Transfer Pals monthly donor? You may make your tax-deductible gift securely online here or call us at 804-521-1308.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the love, safety and comfort you make possible for pets in desperate need of our saving.

Tabitha Frizzell Treloar is the director of advancement of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires both your first and last name to be used as your screen name.

April 17, 2015

There are few things in life that can bring more immediate joy to a person than love from an animal. Bringing delight to the people who need it most is the focus of the Richmond SPCA’s Paws for Health program. Paws for Health is a volunteer-based pet visitation program in which trained volunteers and their own carefully screened pets visit local hospitals, nursing homes and retirement communities.

As we celebrate our volunteers during National Volunteer Appreciation Week, it should be noted that not all of the Richmond SPCA’s volunteers spend their time inside the Robins-Starr Humane Center – some give their time on behalf of the organization by carrying our mission to the community. A special group focuses their attention on how the sunny dispositions of therapy dogs can brighten the days of those going through difficult times.

The Paws for Health program has been in existence for more than a decade and was created by Dr. Kevin Connelly, former Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at MCV, in alliance with the Richmond SPCA. In developing the program he spent a year reviewing research, learning about other pet therapy programs, and creating strict guidelines for safety, health maintenance and risk reduction to exceed hospital standards. In combination with the vibrant volunteer corps of the Richmond SPCA and training services we offer, Paws for Health has thrived.

Our therapy teams are so consistent in their volunteering that they become staples in care facilities. For instance, Brenda Bracheau and her dog, Benny, frequently visit St. Joseph's Little Sisters of the Poor as a part of the Paws for Health program. Residents mark their calendars and await Brenda and Benny’s visits with great enthusiasm. Thanks to training from Brenda, Benny knows exactly how to interact with elderly residents no matter their limitations. Benny greets each resident with a balance of gentleness and enthusiasm, and for that moment, Benny is all that matters. His company never fails to bring up stories of family pets, laughter over his tricks and kisses and something to look forward to in the near future. Some residents even keep dog treats in their rooms just for Benny’s visits.

Besides the joy Paws for Health brings to residents in our community, the program also creates all sorts of connections. To become a part of the Paws for Health program, volunteer handlers and their canines complete a number of requirements including a therapy dog certification, an application process and multiple shadowing visits, allowing both guardian and dog to better understand one another. Once the duo is officially a Paws for Health team and can visit care facilities on their own, an entirely new level of connections begin to form as the volunteer teams interact with residents in the community. With the company of a dog, anxieties over health and life melt away and volunteers and residents become quick friends. Like Brenda and Benny, these volunteer pairs become familiar faces at the facilities they visit, bringing happiness into the lives of those who need it, and embodying the mission of Paws for Health.

For more information about Paws for Health, please visit www.richmondspca.org/pawsforhealth.

Abbey Howarth is the Richmond SPCA's communications specialist. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

March 05, 2015

Our Dog Jog and 5K Run is so successful at providing vital support for the homeless animals who rely on the Richmond SPCA to save their lives largely because of peer-to-peer fundraising. Our 13th annual event will be presented by Holiday Barn Pet Resorts on Saturday, March 21, but the fundraising got started many months ago. Participant fundraising efforts have been streamlined this year with a new online platform that makes it even easier to share your involvement on social media. There is still time to register (and take advantage of early bird pricing through Friday, March 6) and get started asking your friends and family for their support of your participation in this great community event. Top fundraisers are eligible for great prizes, and all who raise $500 or more in donations will receive a special gift that will be awarded at the Invisible Fence® Brand Awards Ceremony at the event’s conclusion. See how our top individual and team fundraisers are doing at richmondspca.org/race – we so appreciate all of their remarkable support of homeless animals through their tireless fundraising!

Dana Taylor, back right, and a few of her Running Buddies team members at last year's event

We recently talked with Dana Taylor about how she got involved in fundraising for the Dog Jog and 5K Run. Dana is currently in second place overall, having raised $1,545 as the captain of our Running Buddies team, which is made up of volunteers who provide regular enrichment and exercise to the more active dogs in the care of the Richmond SPCA by taking them on runs. The Running Buddies program is generously sponsored by The HelpDesk Company.

Q: Which event are you registered for, the leisurely 1-mile Dog Jog with your pet, or the competitively timed 5K Run?

Some Running Buddies participate only in the Dog Jog with the dogs from the Richmond SPCA, but there are several of us that run the 5K too. There’s a nice 30-45 minute break in between that allows us to finish the 5K and get our Richmond SPCA dogs ready with their “adopt me” bandanas before the Dog Jog actually begins.

Q: When did you first participate in the Dog Jog and 5K Run? Did you fundraise your first year?

This is my third Dog Jog as a Running Buddy, and it will be my second 5K. There are some Running Buddies that have done this for many more years!

Q: Was there any specific inspiration that led you to get involved in raising funds for the Richmond SPCA?

Dana, right, and Running Buddies teammates at the 2013 Dog Jog

This event is great for the Running Buddies, as we are already running with dogs who are available for adoption up to three times a week. That lets us get to know them pretty well. It’s an event that allows us to combine our love of running with our love of animals. We get to see all the great work being done at the Richmond SPCA, so of course we love to raise money for the organization. We’ve had several long-term residents who ran with of us get adopted recently. We fall in love with these dogs and are so thrilled to see them get forever homes. We want to help in any way we can to support the mission of the Richmond SPCA, including outreach and education. It’s really amazing what we learn about these dogs and the attitude and beliefs of the community on our 3 mile runs.

Q: What have been the most effective tools in asking friends and family for support?

Speaking for myself, it’s social media. I’m shameless. Last year, I used pictures of my Richmond SPCA alum, Joey. Anyone who knows me knows Joey, but not everyone knew his life had been at risk in a rural county shelter before he was rescued by the Richmond SPCA. This year, I started earlier, and I think some folks are ready to pay me to stop posting about my fundraising efforts! Around December 27, I started posting links to my fundraising page and told folks they could have a last minute tax write-off and help animals. That was wildly successful! I also used pictures of Altro, a dog that I’d been running with and working with as a Green Team member for over 6 months. I posted a lot of pictures of Altro during our time together, and my friends felt like they knew him. One friend even posted that her donation was for my Running Buddy Altro. All that said, I think if you believe in the cause and in helping animals, your message from the heart that will appear on your page is enough. You don’t have to work with a homeless dog or have adopted an animal from the Richmond SPCA – as long as your request is heartfelt, it’s enough.

It’s also important to use the email tool and not ignore the one-on-one requests. Not everyone likes using social media, and I know several Running Buddies just approach their friends and family about supporting their fundraising efforts.

Q: What’s your best tip for someone who is registered but might be hesitant to get involved as a fundraiser?

I know that it’s hard to ask for money, so on social media, I post the link to my page and type a pretty general message asking for support. I also let people know about all the great programs that are available at the Richmond SPCA and what a great resource it is for our entire community. Again, I think if it’s a cause you believe in and you let your friends and family know that, they will give to support you. I surpassed my first goal of $500 around January 1 and got to $1000 by asking folks to give $5-10. I reached that goal and have increased my goal once again. The point is you don’t have to raise it all at once or try to raise thousands of dollars. The way I see it, every dollar counts!

Q: What are you looking forward to most on March 21?

We all love seeing the community support for the Richmond SPCA. The love of the organization is so evident on that day. Of course, the Running Buddies love to run too, and seeing all the dogs out there for the Dog Jog is so uplifting. (PS – if you’ve adopted from the Richmond SPCA, we love to see our furry friends again!)

Tabitha Hanes is the director of advancement of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires both your first and last name to be used as your screen name.

November 25, 2014

The silence is deafening. While there are many news reports of PETA’s alleged theft and immediate killing of an innocent and beloved small dog in Accomack County, while the family and many of their friends and supporters ask in vain for justice from our court system, while rallies are being held for the family and their deceased pet, while there are blog posts and other opinion pieces being written nationally about this shocking and horrifying occurrence, PETA remains silent. Totally silent. PETA, which is very vocal about most everything relating to animals, which is very fond of the use of hidden cameras on others, which likes to criticize those of us committed to the ethics of the no-kill philosophy, is silent on this matter. Silent about an occurrence in which their workers were caught on video taking a small dog right off the front porch of the dog’s own home after efforts to lure her off of her front porch had been unavailing. Silent about the stories of their return shortly after their killing of the beloved pet to tell the family about what they had done and give the family a fruit basket. As if that would be compensation for the loss of the pet they loved.

Edward Armstrong stands with Wilbur Zarate behind him as he speaks to the crowd assembed for a rally in Maya's memory on Monday, Nov. 24 in Accomack County.

No explanation is being offered. Nor is PETA anywhere disputing the allegations of facts. Why is PETA, which is not silent about much regarding animals, staying silent on this one? Their silence may be due to the advice of their attorneys. Without question, their silence may be the wisest approach in terms of their criminal culpability and civil liability issues. But, it is insulting to their supporters. And, it certainly suggests that there is no good explanation that their supporters would find palatable. All of the many people who have given their charitable dollars to PETA because they love animals and want to see them protected have a right to hear from PETA to explain why on earth it would do something like this or, alternatively, that it did not do this. If PETA believes that all companion animals should be killed, they should have the guts to say so. If its philosophy is that no one who is Hispanic and of modest means should be allowed to have a pet, they should have the courage to say so. If their people think that every pet is better off dead than in a home where there are limited financial resources, they should say so. If they actually did not do this, they should say that too. Because I and everyone else are searching for some understanding of why an organization that proclaims itself to be for the ethical treatment of animals would do this. And, we are wondering how often they have done similar things.

I heard Jeff Kerr, PETA’s General Counsel, speak recently and he indicated that all of the animals that PETA “euthanizes” at its “shelter” in Norfolk (the quotations marks are there because these would not be the words that I would use) are in dreadful medical condition and not able to have a life of quality. This could not explain the killing of Maya. According to her family, she was in good health and had a good life with a lot of love. What about that picture would PETA not like? Maya was utterly helpless, and her killing is heart breaking.

I have never given PETA a donation so I do not suggest that they owe me anything. But, they do owe their donors an explanation because the organization’s continued silence is an insult to the generous people who have supported them. It is a statement that they believe they can take a donor’s money that the donor intended to go to save animals and then, when they are charged with heinous mistreatment of animals, give no explanation or justification for the actions with which they are charged. If you are or have been a donor of PETA, I urge you not to give them another penny until you get an explanation from PETA for the killing of Maya, and so many other innocents, that satisfies you.

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires both your first and last name to be used as your screen name.

September 24, 2014

As the retail and procurement manager at the Richmond SPCA, I spend a lot of my time with my eyes glued to a computer monitor researching dog and cat toys and supplies. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do, but because I very much have a Type-A personality, I often ache to do more. While walking through the adoption lobby and looking into the many furry faces awaiting loving homes, I began thinking – how can I, a retail-focused employee, help to better the lives of these precious pets?

A few days ago, I came up with the idea that the Richmond SPCA Gift Shop would donate a toy to a homeless pet for every online order we receive. With the help of our communications manager, Caroline Radom, we posted about this effort on Facebook. Thanks to the generosity of those who placed orders on our online store, I made some new four-legged friends.

It was awesome to see an adorable kitten, Mario, bat around his brand-new rattle mouse toy. The real joy, however, was giving a toy to Gina, a 12-year-old Boston Terrier. I’ll admit that I don’t take enough time to love on the pets in our building. I’m a big baby, and I occasionally find it difficult to grow attached to a pet only to have to say goodbye when they find a loving home. This morning, though, when I gave Gina her new toy and at first she just wanted to snuggle up in my lap…it made my heart melt. She climbed up into my lap, rested her head in the crook of my elbow and let out a contented little sigh. It absolutely made my morning. After snuggle time, I showed Gina how the treat-dispensing toy worked, and she totally went to town on it; she loves it, which makes the whole experience very rewarding.

Now through the end of September you can provide a toy to a homeless pet by shopping at www.richmondspcagiftshop.org and I will be happy to post pictures on our shop’s Facebook page of these pets enjoying their new toys! I also hope that these photos will help pets like Gina to find permanent, loving homes. You can help by shopping on our online store, spreading the word about this effort, or by stopping in to the Richmond SPCA to visit with the pets in our care.

Click here for more info about Gina. She is truly made of sweetness, adores cuddling, and will love you – wholeheartedly – if you give her the chance. All proceeds from purchases directly benefit the orphaned pets in our shelter.

Can’t shop online? Stop into our shop at 2519 Hermitage Road, mention this story to our sales associate, and we’ll make sure a pet awaiting adoption receives a special toy.

Abby Waller is the retail and procurement manager at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name

July 16, 2014

A few days ago, I wrote a post for this blog in response to a question I heard asked about why a foundation or other potential donor would choose to direct charitable support to an animal welfare organization when there are organizations helping people in need to which the funding could be directed. My previous post provided one of the two valid and persuasive answers to that question; this one will provide the other. The first answer focused on the undeniable and significant human service nature of our organization’s services. This second answer requires that we set aside our self-focus for a moment.

There is no question that pets greatly improve the quality of people’s lives. And, no question that the Richmond SPCA provides a reliable and ethical source for those pets and, equally importantly, it provides the programs and services that allow people of modest means to provide a lifetime of responsible loving care for their pets. But, the fact that animals make our lives much better cannot be the only reason for giving financial support to animal welfare organizations since that would suggest that their lives are without any inherent value and that their suffering makes no difference if their existence is not directly benefitting us. There is an important ethical basis for supporting the cause of animal welfare that goes beyond the purely self-focused reasoning that they help people to have better lives. Seeing the lives and suffering of others, including other species, solely through the prism of how they benefit and serve us is, well, fundamentally selfish. In the words of Albert Schweitzer, “We must realize that all life is valuable and that we are united to all life. From this knowledge comes our spiritual relationship with the universe.”

Animals are sentient beings who love life just as we do. They feel fear and pain and misery, just as they feel joy and love, no different from us. For us to deny that we share these emotions and sensations with them is to deny the obvious truth. Anyone who has been greeted by a pet upon returning home has seen that pet’s love and joy and anyone who has seen an animal in fear for his life or for that of his offspring knows that the love of life and the fear of losing it is not the province of humans alone. The sentient nature of other species is not limited to dogs and cats – farm and wild animals have a full range of feelings as well.

By virtue of our superior intelligence, we have been granted dominion over them. Animals are truly powerless as compared with us. We can treat them as we wish and that means that how we treat them is the ultimate commentary on what is our true moral compass. Matthew Scully stated it well when he said: “Animals are more than ever a test of our character, of mankind's capacity for empathy and for decent, honorable conduct and faithful stewardship. We are called to treat them with kindness, not because they have rights or power or some claim to equality, but in a sense because they don't; because they all stand unequal and powerless before us.”

I have always believed that your ethics really can be evaluated by what you do when you can get away with doing anything you want. That is why the manner in which we treat animals is the true measure of our decency. Would it be okay to just kill them without concern whenever they become homeless or sick and breed more fresh, new, young ones to fulfill our selfish needs? I don’t believe it would be, and I hope you don’t believe it would be either, but that is where the logic of the first answer would inescapably take us if there were not also the second valid answer.

Let’s be frank, if you take the position that philanthropy is a zero sum game and that there is never a justification for giving money to animal welfare when there are human needs, then you have to be comfortable with knowing that animals will die in our community by the tens of thousands for no reason other than being homeless since this organization is, to a considerable extent, what stands between them and that fate. You must also be comfortable with the idea that only people who are financially well off will be able to have pets and that pets of the less affluent will just suffer and die of treatable ailments or be relinquished at an animal shelter. You also have to be comfortable with the fact that animals will have no voice to protect them from the cruelties inflicted on them. But, in this moment of frankness, if you should feel a sickness in the pit of your stomach when you think of homeless animals being taken to their deaths in government shelters, and if you recoil at the idea of your ever having to actually witness that process, then you must acknowledge that your heart and your gut tell you that this outcome is morally wrong. As Schweitzer said, “Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.”

And, so, this second answer to the question that I heard asked requires a bit more introspection and soul searching. If we are going to allocate every dollar that we give to charity to the things that we perceive as benefitting us alone, we may actually in that process be losing what distinguishes us humans – the ability to act not on pure self interest but on ethical and moral principle. Again, the words of Albert Schweitzer are compelling : “We must fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat the animals. Animals suffer as much as we do. True humanity does not allow us to impose such sufferings on them. It is our duty to make the whole world recognize it. Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, humanity will not find peace.”

Whatever deity you may worship and whatever spiritual principles may move you, it is impossible to escape the understanding that our creator created all of us and entrusted humans with the power and the duty to be compassionate stewards of the earth that we share with all other species.

Henrietta's photo and all the images of pets cared for by the Richmond SPCA used in today's blog are courtesy of a recent photography workshop hosted by the Shelter Art Foundation for our staff and volunteers.

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires both your first and last name to be used as your screen name.

July 09, 2014

Recently, I attended a meeting at which charitable giving was discussed and a person in the audience asked the question “Why would I choose to direct charitable support to an animal welfare organization when there are organizations helping people in need to which the funding could be directed?” I believe there are two equally valid and compelling answers to that question and those answers were not clearly provided at the time. The first of the two answers is below and the second will be a subsequent post.

We certainly don’t need to argue about the fact that there are many very deserving organizations that do great work for people in need. That is obvious. What, unfortunately, seems to be less obvious to some people in our community is that the Richmond SPCA, and other animal welfare organizations, are actually among those organizations doing great work for people. Yes, people. Pets are people’s best friends and most supportive companions in good times and bad. For example, the Richmond SPCA adopted a small shih tzu mix to the sister of a friend of mine. This lady had terminal cancer and that little dog, whom she treasured and adored, stayed on her bed with her and comforted her for many months right up to the end. Her family told me that the little dog was crucial to her mental strength and comfort in her final days.

It need not be that dramatic for pets to be important to people’s lives. We rely on our pets as our company when we are alone, our companions to get exercise, our substitutes when our children leave the nest, our partners during late night studying and the source of much of our laughter. They provide widows and widowers with a reason to get up in the morning. They provide children with a buddy whose friendship is unconditional and uncritical. They celebrate our happy times right along with us and, if we are honest, most of us have thrown our arms around our dog and cried without hesitation or embarrassment after serious loss or disappointment. People want, need and deserve to be able to have pets in their lives and I find myself at a loss to understand how this can be overlooked. It is not a frivolity but a necessity for most people’s happiness.

The Richmond SPCA does not just provide these much needed pets to people in a way that is ethical. Just as importantly, it provides the array of programs and services to our community that allows people of modest means to keep their beloved pets with them and keep those beloved pets healthy. Without us, having a pet would become to a considerable extent the prerogative of the affluent in this community. The immense value of our services is widely appreciated by people of all means and especially by those of modest means who count on us, but can seem to be minimized by large corporations and other types of institutional funders.

Most local large corporations tell us that the mission of the Richmond SPCA does not fall within their targeted giving areas because they “give to people.” Most foundations say that they allocate all their funding to “human causes.” Many corporate workplace giving campaigns do not even permit their employee participants to designate an animal welfare charity to receive the money that the participant is contributing to the campaign. And yet, almost all people will tell you that their pet is crucially important to the quality of their life and that a pet has, in their past, made an enormous positive difference in their coping with sadness and loss.

The mission of the Richmond SPCA isa human cause. In fact, our relationships with animals may reflect our most human of traits – the need to love and be loved. Our cause is not the only meritorious human cause by any means. But it is of real value and those folks who belittle it must have never seen a dying person lying in a bed holding her beloved dog in her arms during her last days on this earth. I have. She was my mother.

Gloria Tyler Robertson and her beloved dog Honey

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires both your first and last name to be used as your screen name.

June 03, 2014

This past weekend the Richmond SPCA had the opportunity to participate in Maddie's Pet Adoption Days, the nation's largest no-fee pet adoption event, with eight other adoption agencies in our community and it was a wonderful success! During the event this past weekend, the hardworking team at the Richmond SPCA placed 152 pets in loving homes over the course of the two-day event which is truly a remarkable achievement. Together, the nine participating organizations found wonderful homes for 668 pets, more than tripling our community's original goal of 217 adoptions. I am confident that this impressive number of adoptions is the most ever completed in a two-day period in Greater Richmond.

Though the first Maddie’s Adoption Days event was held in 2010, this is the first time that pet adoption agencies in the Commonwealth of Virginia participated, and we are thrilled that it was such an outstanding event for all the participating organizations, and most importantly, the homeless pets in the Richmond community. More than 200 shelters and rescue groups in 14 communities across the nation participated in this year's event.

Maddie, a Miniature Schnauzer, was a beloved four-legged family member of David and Cheryl Duffield and inspired a legacy dedicated to giving every dog and cat in the United States a loving home. For the last four years, Maddie's Fund, their family's foundation, has sponsored Maddie's Pet Adoption Days to honor her memory.

The Richmond SPCA was thrilled to partner with BARK, Chesterfield County Animal Control, Hanover County Animal Control, Henrico Humane Society, Prince George Animal Control, Richmond Animal Care and Control, Richmond Animal League and Ring Dog Rescue for this terrific event.

We were honored to take part in this wonderful, lifesaving event and are so happy that many deserving pets in our community were placed in loving homes. We are grateful to Maddie's Fund for their support and for helping us make the dreams of some very deserving pets and wonderful new guardians come true!

We hope you will take a moment to click through the gallery of photos below to see just a few of our favorite photos of pets going home during Maddie's Pet Adoption Days!

Caroline Radom is the manager of communications of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires both your first and last name to be used as your screen name.

May 02, 2014

If you follow the Richmond SPCA on Facebook, you may recognize the photo to the right from early April. One of our two commercial washers had stopped working, and we reached out on social media for help doing laundry. We asked for anyone willing to wash and dry pet bedding at home to pick up a bag at our humane center. The hope was that we could get enough help to keep the growing piles in the hallway under control.

Boy did we get help! Both regular volunteers and members of the public put their washers and dryers into service for the comfort of homeless pets in our care.

And then came the surprises!

First, Emily Fortner saw our plea on Facebook called Richmond Neighborhood Laundry and asked them to pick up any remaining laundry from the Richmond SPCA at her expense! Jerry, who owns the local laundry service, sent over an employee to load a minivan with all the laundry that would fit — more than seven hefty bags of soiled linens.

Debbie volunteers for one of our most essential but least glamorous volunteer tasks: laundry duty.

In the meantime, the service tech who had examined our aging commercial washer delivered bad news. The machine was beyond repair. This news was heard by one of our regular volunteers who gives her time helping in our laundry room every week. As we were contemplating how we would manage to replace the washer — an expense of nearly $8,000 for which we had not budgeted — Debbie Rider Allen sprang into action.

Debbie quietly began her own fundraising campaign to replace the washer. She reached out to friends and neighbors in Mechanicsville and posted an appeal to her Facebook profile. The intitial gift from Debbie and her husband inspired additional donations from friends, and by the time we learned of her wonderful efforts, nearly a third of the funding for the new machine had been raised. Their contributions enabled us to order the new machine, which was installed at the end of last week.

If you too are inspired by Debbie's campaign, you may contribute by mailing a check made out to the Richmond SPCA and writing "washer campaign" on the memo line to Robins-Starr Humane Center 2519 Hermitage RoadRichmond, VA 23220or visit our secure online donation form at www.richmondspca.org/donate and reference laundry or washing machine in the comments field.

Tabitha Hanes is the director of advancement of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires both your first and last name to be used as your screen name.

March 07, 2014

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a key reason that our Dog Jog and 5K Run is so successful in providing vital support for the homeless animals who rely on the Richmond SPCA to save their lives. Our 12th annual event will be presented by Holiday Barn Pet Resorts on Saturday, March 15, but the fundraising got started many months ago! However, there is still time to register and get started asking your friends and family for their support of your participation in this great community event. Top fundraisers are eligible for great prizes, and all who raise $500 or more in donations will receive a special gift that will be awarded at the VIRTEXCO Awards Ceremony at noon next Saturday. See how our top individual and team fundraisers are doing at www.richmondspca.org/dogjogprizes — we so appreciate all of their remarkable support of homeless animals through their tireless fundraising!

We recently talked with Rich Terrell, who was awarded the Johnny Birkitt Hero Award in 2013, about how he got involved in fundraising for the Dog Jog and 5K Run. Rich is currently in second place overall, having raised $1,135 as a member of our alumni team, Team Belle.

Q: Which event are you registered for, the leisurely 1-mile Dog Jog with your pet, or the competitively timed 5K Run?

Rich: I am registered for both, although technically I am not doing either one! I am volunteering for the day taking photos of the runners, walkers and everyone else that comes out to make this one of the best fundraising events of the year. While I would like to run the 5k one day, I have not figured out how to be in two places at once :)

Q: When did you first participate in the Dog Jog and 5K Run? Did you fundraise your first year?

Rich: My first year participating was 2008 — I did not raise any funds that year to my recollection — I wanted to help out that day as a volunteer photographer. I was immediately hooked; I have been to every Dog Jog since that one.

Q: Was there any specific inspiration that led you to get involved in raising funds for the Richmond SPCA?

Rich: I have always loved animals, and I have always been passionate about photography. One day in 2006 I noticed on the Richmond SPCA web page that volunteer photographers were needed. That seemed like a terrific way to combine my passion for photography with my equal love of animals, especially those that are in need. I've been fortunate to maintain a relationship with, and occasionally be a contributor to the Richmond SPCA for many years. I hope for many more years to come.

Q: What have been the most effective tools in asking friends and family for support?

Rich: I start with an initial email that talks about the great work of the Richmond SPCA, and I link photos of the past several years where I have volunteered. One thing I do in the email is offer to match a certain amount of the total donations received. I think that is very effective. After that, I use an occasional Facebook post to remind people of the upcoming event and encourage people to attend. I think that is one of the most important things; to get as many people to come out as possible. I don't know anyone that would regret it — the event is so charged and full of energy.

Q: What’s your best tip for someone who is registered but might be hesitant to get involved as a fundraiser?

Rich: Don't be afraid to ask your friends and family for help. You can set an example for contributing to a very worthy non-profit organization that does a tremendous amount of good for animal welfare in the greater Richmond area. You friends and family are sure to admire you for your dedication. You might be surprised at how much support you will receive!

Q: What are you looking forward to most about March 15?

Rich: My favorite part of the whole day is interacting with people and their pets. I enjoy seeing so many smiling, happy people with their loved ones: both 2-legged and 4-legged.

Tabitha Hanes is the director of advancement of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires both your first and last name to be used as your screen name.